America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests. Henry Kissinger.

[anatta]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

“I have never believed in having permanent enemies”: Trump

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties

Kissinger famously said, “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.”

full trump quote

In the case of Iran, I have never believed in having permanent enemies. I am different than a lot of people think. I don't like permanent enemies, but sometimes you need enemies to do the job and you have to do it right," :Trump

 

[Jetboogieman]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties


full trump quote

A Russian propagandist, tries to make a roundabout point in the dumbest way possible, quoting a murderous maniac (Kissinger) and the stupidest person on planet Earth (Trump)... Besides his followers...

Yeah Okay dude.

You totally know what you're saying here. /s

Now try your best to figure out if you can, where the interests of the United States and Russia coincide compared to the friends you're throwing away...

 

[anatta]

A Russian propagandist, tries to make a roundabout point in the dumbest way possible, quoting a murderous maniac (Kissinger) and the stupidest person on planet Earth (Trump)... Besides his followers...

Yeah Okay dude.

You totally know what you're saying here. /s

Now try your best to figure out if you can, where the interests of the United States and Russia coincide compared to the friends you're throwing away...

Im not a fan of Kissinger from likely before you were born (Vietnam); but he's a recognized expert at realpolitik
The point is we are not throwing away anything' If Europe wants to continue to fund the war -hey it's their war/continent.
But we have no dog in that war in terms of where the final borders between Russia and Ukraine. It matters little to US security

We have NATO and Asian alliances . NATO as a treaty a "permanent alliance"/permanent military.
Kissinger was smart enough to use "China card" to keep the USSR/Sino powers unaligned . We threw that away with Russian sanctions/NATO expansion

 

[StillBallin75]

Kissinger belongs in Hell and none of Trump's whackadoodle foreign policy ideas are in the interests of the average working-class American. Not stupid-ass trade wars, not threatening to annex our neighbors and Greenland and Panama, not gutting USAID and signing the death warrant of millions of people, not whatever the **** he's doing on Ukraine, not accepting blatant bribery from Gulf States.

"America has no permanent friends or enemies?" Well I can tell you this. The enemy of the working class is the capitalist class. Forever and always. Piss off enough people with your bullshit and the people will break out the pitchforks and guillotines.

 

[Ganondagan]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties


full trump quote

It's a political principle older than Trump or Kissinger.

Lord Palmerston 1784–1865
British statesman; Prime Minister, 1855–8, 1859–65 ​

1. We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.
   speech, House of Commons, 1 March 1848

 

[Cameron]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties


full trump quote

How is aligning with anti-democratic countries like Russia and North Korea and alienating our biggest military and economic partners in America's "interest"?

 

[BirdinHand]

And hey…gifts like jets, crypto investment, etc - can ALSO influence who gets on the friends or enemy list!

 

[ataraxia]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties


full trump quote

It’s like any other human relationships: if you’re someone who cannot be trusted on their word or agreements, and a person of low character and integrity, you will not do well in the long run.

Trust

Trust—or the belief that someone or something can be relied on to do what they say they will—is a key element of social relationships and a foundation for cooperation. It is critical for romantic relationships, friendships, interactions between strangers, and social groups on a large scale, and...

www.psychologytoday.com

 

[Callen]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties


full trump quote

His enemies are his enemies until they give him something he wants then they are his friends and they better stay loyal if they want to remain his friend. He is 100% transactional.

 

[anatta]

His enemies are his enemies until they give him something he wants then they are his friends and they better stay loyal if they want to remain his friend. He is 100% transactional.

Iran is never going to be a friend. but they can buy peace thru negotiations..thats transactional
It's basically realpolitik at the granular level

 

[Callen]

Iran is never going to be a friend. but they can buy peace thru negotiations..thats transactional
It's basically realpolitik at the granular level

Never say never...depends if he wants to build a golf course there. I'm sick and tired of this man's blatant corruption and abuse of his power and I'm equally sick of those who put aside long held values and traditions to support and defend him.

 

[j brown's body]

A good quote explaining Trump's foreign policy is "The customer is always right."

 

[anatta]

How is aligning with anti-democratic countries like Russia and North Korea and alienating our biggest military and economic partners in America's "interest"?

we dont align with either. But there are times we can pursue mutual interests. Detente with NK and lifting sanctions off Russia should they choose to get serious about ending the war
anytime we an pursue mutual interests we lower the chance of confrontation

 

[anatta]

Never say never...depends if he wants to build a golf course there. I'm sick and tired of this man's blatant corruption and abuse of his power and I'm equally sick of those who put aside long held values and traditions to support and defend him.

the usual "corruption" and abuse of power. a Judge just found the use of the Alien and enemies act Constitutional.
Due process can be a simple habeus hearing. What corruption are you mentioning?

 

[Callen]

the usual "corruption" and abuse of power. a Judge just found the use of the Alien and enemies act Constitutional.
Due process can be a simple habeus hearing. What corruption are you mentioning?

The courts will straighten that out. That is not what I am talking about here although there are plenty of examples of abuse of power in his various EO's.

I am talking about It his blatant use of his position to help grow his business interests in the ME as well as his blatant moves into the crypto markets again using his position and benefiting him many, many millions if not billions. Then there is the jet which is absolute corruption. Trumpers don't see it yet the actions of the Biden "crime family" were crystal clear to them even though no hard proof was provided. Trump does what he does in the open and without compunction because he knows he can get away with it and he knows he doesn't have to worry about being elected again.

....and don't give me the nonsense that he isn't involved in the business.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/13/politics/trump-middle-east-business-invs

Trump's Middle East visit comes as his family deepens its business, crypto ties in the region

President Donald Trump's trip to the Mideast comes as sons Donald Jr. and Eric work the same part of the world for the family’s moneymaking opportunities.

apnews.com

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/14/business/trump-family-crypto-nightcap

 

[j brown's body]

the usual "corruption" and abuse of power. a Judge just found the use of the Alien and enemies act Constitutional.
Due process can be a simple habeus hearing. What corruption are you mentioning?

Speaking of corruption, how about that Eric Adam's case, huh? Bribe a guy with threat of prosecution. I don't think I've ever seen that level odpf corruption before. Stick away an innocent guy for life in a foreign gulag.

He sounding more like Stalin than Kissinger, who, himself, is a war criminal, btw.

Hard not to think of Ukraine as a permenent enemy to Trump ever since Zelensky refused to bow to his extortion scheme.

 

[j brown's body]

The courts will straighten that out. That is not what I am talking about here although there are plenty of examples of abuse of power in his various EO's.

I am talking about It his blatant use of his position to help grow his business interests in the ME as well as his blatant moves into the crypto markets again using his position and benefiting him many, many millions if not billions. Then there is the jet which is absolute corruption. Trumpers don't see it yet the actions of the Biden "crime family" were crystal clear to them even though no hard proof was provided. Trump does what he does in the open and without compunction because he knows he can get away with it and he knows he doesn't have to worry about being elected again.

....and don't give me the nonsense that he isn't involved in the business.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/13/politics/trump-middle-east-business-invs

Trump's Middle East visit comes as his family deepens its business, crypto ties in the region

President Donald Trump's trip to the Mideast comes as sons Donald Jr. and Eric work the same part of the world for the family’s moneymaking opportunities.

apnews.com

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/14/business/trump-family-crypto-nightcap

Trump's foreign policy is "Love for Sale."

 

[StillBallin75]

Im not a fan of Kissinger from likely before you were born (Vietnam); but he's a recognized expert at realpolitik
The point is we are not throwing away anything' If Europe wants to continue to fund the war -hey it's their war/continent.
But we have no dog in that war in terms of where the final borders between Russia and Ukraine. It matters little to US security

We have NATO and Asian alliances . NATO as a treaty a "permanent alliance"/permanent military.
Kissinger was smart enough to use "China card" to keep the USSR/Sino powers unaligned . We threw that away with Russian sanctions/NATO expansion

Ukraine/Russia has way bigger implications than all the lives lost in Southeast Asia due to Kissinger's bullshit. "realpolitik" my ass.

I swear for the first time in my life, a US foreign policy intervention has VERY CLEAR, black-and-white moral and practical implications, and right wingers choose this moment out of every other to all of a sudden become isolationists. Nah, not even isolationist, because y'all support Trump's naked imperialism.

 

[anatta]

The courts will straighten that out. That is not what I am talking about here although there are plenty of examples of abuse of power in his various EO's.

I am talking about It his blatant use of his position to help grow his business interests in the ME as well as his blatant moves into the crypto markets again using his position and benefiting him many, many millions if not billions. Then there is the jet which is absolute corruption. Trumpers don't see it yet the actions of the Biden "crime family" were crystal clear to them even though no hard proof was provided. Trump does what he does in the open and without compunction because he knows he can get away with it and he knows he doesn't have to worry about being elected again.

....and don't give me the nonsense that he isn't involved in the business.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/13/politics/trump-middle-east-business-invs

Trump's Middle East visit comes as his family deepens its business, crypto ties in the region

President Donald Trump's trip to the Mideast comes as sons Donald Jr. and Eric work the same part of the world for the family’s moneymaking opportunities.

apnews.com

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/14/business/trump-family-crypto-nightcap

I got this far.. such crap

Or that he effectively auctioned off the first destination on his first major foreign trip, heading to Saudi Arabia because the kingdom was ready to make big investments in U.S. companies.

It's not auctioning off and it's not for profit. He took a lot of business leaders there to get American investments

deals that show the close ties between a family whose patriarch oversees the U.S. government and a region whose leaders are fond of currying favor through money and lavish gifts — could cause the United States to show preferential treatment to Middle Eastern leaders when it comes to American affairs of state.

like what? more investments?? trying to get KSA to recognize Israel?? oh the horrors

 

[noonereal]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties


full trump quote

Do you have a point to make or is this just another God is Great post directed at your orange God?

 

[Irredentist]

I happened to hear this on a CNN discussion panel. It's what Trump said as well today

Kissinger said it so much better, but this a (welcome) radical change from the hawkish regime change interventionist in both parties


full trump quote

I like that Trump is open to making deals with our enemies. I dislike how bad he is at actually doing it.

 

[anatta]

Speaking of corruption, how about that Eric Adam's case, huh? Bribe a guy with threat of prosecution. I don't think I've ever seen that level odpf corruption before. Stick away an innocent guy for life in a foreign gulag.

He sounding more like Stalin than Kissinger, who, himself, is a war criminal, btw.

Hard not to think of Ukraine as a permenent enemy to Trump ever since Zelensky refused to bow to his extortion scheme.

OMG are you still stuck on impeachment? That dog is played out

 

[Callen]

I got this far.. such crap

It's not auctioning off and it's not for profit. He took a lot of business leaders there to get American investments


like what? more investments?? trying to get KSA to recognize Israel?? oh the horrors

That's all that caught your eye......investments in the US. You will notice I didn’t mention that as an issue of concern.

 

[OrphanSlug]

People make more of the quote "America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests" than Kissinger intended, and I am no fan of his anyway. All it meant then, or means now with Trump's regurgitation of it, is America is clearly in the advantageousness of business mindset. Not a huge surprise, I am inclined to argue America's convoluted foreign policy has largely been about who financially benefits.

Trump amplifying the sentiment does not surprise me.

 

[Juin]

How is aligning with anti-democratic countries like Russia and North Korea and alienating our biggest military and economic partners in America's "interest"?

Two separate questions connected by an "and"


1. It can, and has often served America's interest to align with sons of bitches. Aligning with Joseph Stalin during WWII. Aligning with Mao against USSR during Cold War. Aligning today with oil rich wahabi bastards.

2. Some Europeans have been freeloaders in Nato and leeches through EU. I am not sure how its in anyone's interest to put up with leeches and freeloaders